Spooky, scary Halloween 2015 smackers & giveaway info

It’s that spoOokytime of year again, though you might find that this year’s Halloween Lip Smackers are too cute to leave you shaking in your boots. At least your lips will be moisturized, right?

Many of you will recognize some familiar designs/flavors from last year, but there are a couple new characters making an appearance that are worth picking up. On the left are the new designs and below you’ll find a picture of the full collection. I’m especially loving Sweet Sugar Spell from the villains set, which is that very light sugary cotton candy flavor many of us like so much. Ursula’s formula has also magically transformed from Wicked Sour Grape to Wicked Sour Apple.

There is a new Mickey & Friends trio too featuring Caramel Apple Fun, Strawberry Jelly Macaroon, and Brewing Up Halloween Punch (I love when LS does flavor names like this). A fun way to stock up on some classics while bringing in the holidays.

And hey, maybe some of that Halloween magic will find you extra lucky this year? There’s an awesome giveaway happening over onLip Smacker’s facebook page — click here to check it out. 5 winners will receive the complete 2015 Halloween collection (make sure to read the full rules), which is a pretty fun way to go trick or treating 🙂

I have some GREAT news! I just found the holiday party pack sold on eBay! You know what that means?! WE’LL PROBABLY GET TO FIND IT IN STORES SOON! *squeals* I’m so excited! I think the flavor I’m looking forward to trying the most is butterscotch. The last time it was made was for the Belle Disney Princess trio that came with a biggy in tea party treats and a regular size in cream and sugar.

By the way, I don’t know if you’ll get to see the listing for this party pack, so I’ll send Bunny Cookie a couple screenshots just in case she wants to post the photos.

I’m thinking we’ll start seeing stuff next week the very latest now. Usually takes Target a few days after Halloween to set the holiday section with the stocking stuffers where there are always the holiday sets. I’m hoping Butterscotch is like Butterscotch Topaz. That was a very true flavor. The Beauty & the Beast Butterscotch was just a mellow version of their current caramel. I get they’re similar but there is a very distinct difference between a butterscotch disc and caramel cube.
Did you see those other ‘holiday’ party packs newly listed on eBay? A bunch of random flavors from different holidays and Easters mixed in. So bizarre. Hopefully those are from Big Lots or something because they do not look insync.

I wonder if the Lip Smacker 7 packs are just Lip Smackers that Markwins is trying to get rid of. Why else would they have sets with such random flavors together? They don’t even fit the theme of the packaging well!

I think these are supposed to be different than the holiday Lip Smackers. The holiday Lip Smackers are in new packaging and follow a theme unlike these. I think I may buy one if I find it in stores. I like some of the flavors in them and I can use them without getting into the Lip Smackers I’m collecting. It would have been better if the packaging said that. I also think it’s odd that they’re in packs of 7 rather than 8. Oh well….

I just noticed these have 7 Lip Smackers in them, you’re right; very bizarre. Just bizarre all around. What’s weird is there is one of this years holiday flavors mixed in. Also, this years holiday designs are on the actual party pack that have old random flavors from colletions past in the pack. Bonne Bell would send old collections to Big Lots, not throw them on store shelves again. The whole Ribbon Candy thing makes sense now. What’s not cool is how they’re trying to be sneaky with putting new labels on old tubes and saying it’s Ribbon Candy. I’m pretty sure there is a batch out there that IS actually Ribbon Candy for this holiday, it has the purple cap and nozzle. There is no shame in what they’re doing. A$%holes (sorry, the really over Markwins)

Yes Renee, my Ribbon Candy I bought in this years trio cane was just a Ribbon Candy label wrapped around an older Fresh Strawberry Ice Creamies balm. Yes, Markwins is that terrible and pathetic. I have noticed there seem to be two other versions of Ribbon Candy this year (same wrap) the one in the eBay holiday Candy Lip Collection party pack seems to have a tan colored cap and nozzle. I’ve also seen it with a purple cap and nozzle on Instagram which I believe is the actual Ribbon Candy formula for this year.

That’s terrible! I guess this proves that Markwins doesn’t give a flying flip about the Lip Smacker brand. Wouldn’t fans have the same reaction if they did this to their other brands? Imagine if they screwed up their beloved Wet n Wild limited edition eyeshadow palettes and replaced an eyeshadow color with another one randomly. I bet it would upset people who like them. Do they not see Lip Smacker as a legitimate brand with actual fans who expect good quality? Are we expecting too much from Markwins? Are they just going to come out with crap thinking that they can do that because they think kids don’t care?

I think they’re up to their ears and or they just don’t care. These could be amateurs running the brand too. Either way it’s not cool. I was told from an actual inside source at BB that Markwins was the first company to approach them wanting to buy the brands. My question is why would a family brand that has over 90 years of rich brand heritage give their company up to such a low-end, unknown company. I honestly had little to no knowledge of what Markwins was until this whole ordeal. There’s no way they could of been that strapped for cash. It’s such a shame; there are so many words for this that I don’t want to put on here.

The 7 packs are these Lip Smacker packs with random flavors from previous collections thrown in. You can find them sold on ebay or on instagram under #lipsmacker if you wish to see what they look like.

So, BB and LS were actually doing ok and they weren’t strapped for cash? A, did your source list anything else going on in the company like fighting amongst the top people or anything else that sounds rather fishy?

Anyway, I did actually look up why a company does sell and below, I’ve copied and pasted the text.

In the world of mergers and acquisitions, there are typically several hundred transactions per week. While many of the multibillion dollar, cross-border transactions attract most of the press coverage, a vast majority of deals involve micro- and middle-market companies. These transactions involve mergers, acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, or recapitalizations, and involve companies with enterprise values between two to several hundred million dollars.

There are a variety of reasons why owners sell their companies or explore strategic and capital raising alternatives. A vast amount of deal structure possibilities exist to accommodate varying objectives. The owner (normally with the advice of an experienced M & A advisor) will seek out a structure that best meets one or more of his or her objectives.

Why Owners Sell
Owners who agree to sell their companies may be tired of running the business and seek either a full or partial exit. If an owner wants to liquidate 100% of his or her equity, acquiring investors will usually offer a lower acquisition price. This is partly a result of the greater difficulties that are anticipated in running the business after the transaction if the owner is not available to help with the integration process.

A recapitalization, where the exiting owner retains a minority equity stake in the business (typically 10-40%), is a more common structure. In this case, the exiting owner has incentive to help increase the value of the business (normally through part-time effort). The exiting owner will still benefit from a gradually diminishing role in the operation and the freedom to enjoy more leisurely pursuits. Once the owner is out of the picture, the combined entity will have a go-forward plan in place to continue to grow the business, both internally and through acquisitions. In addition, the exiting majority owner will see the value of his or her equity increase if performance benchmarks are reached. It is important to remember that large companies receive higher valuation multiples from the market compared to smaller companies, partly due to lower enterprise risk.

An exiting owner may also wish to convert his or her equity into cash. This is because many business owners have considerable net worth, but a lot of this value is often value tied up in the business, and thus illiquid. Unlocking this equity through a liquidity event may reduce the seller’s risk by diversifying his or her portfolio and allowing the seller to free up more cash.

Another common exit scenario involves an elderly owner who is experiencing material health problems, or an owner who may be getting too old to effectively run the business. Such situations often necessitate the need to quickly find an acquirer. While business development officers of strategic companies can move the M&A process rapidly, large companies often do not respond quickly enough because they are hindered by a number of bureaucratic processes that cause delays (ex. managerial and board approvals).

Buyer Motivation
In the acquisition marketplace, private equity appears to be better suited to quickly engage the owner, assess the business and complete the acquisition. A reasonably well run mid-market company can be acquired within three to six months if both parties are genuinely invested in the deal. This is especially true if the exiting shareholder’s accountants readily provide yearly and monthly financial statements, and if the acquiring equity group already has the accounting and legal due diligence team ready to move in.

Family disputes are also a common driver for an acquisition. A spouse or close relative may be abusing company assets for personal gain, resulting in poor company performance and low morale. Incoming investors can get rid of dysfunctional individuals and restore good management practices in the business, as well as provide peace of mind to the seller.

A seller may seek to sell his or her company for operational or strategic purposes.

For example, the owner may wish to:
•Gain market share. A larger acquiring company has complementary distribution and marketing channels or a recognizable brand and goodwill that the target entity can leverage.
•Finance an expansion. The acquiring entity has the cash to fund new equipment, advertising, or additional geographic reach, increasing the operational footprint of the target.
•Raise capital for an acquisition. The acquiring entity has the capital or debt capacity to execute an accumulation play. In other words, it can acquire a series of smaller competitors and help to consolidate an industry. The target operates with fewer competitors in an industry, and has access to its former competitors’ resources (management talent, product expertise, etc.).
•Place better management. The parent company has superior management that can unlock value in the target business. The acquired business can then be professionalized (have better IT systems, accounting controls, equipment maintenance, etc.). (For more insight, see Evaluating A Company’s Management.)
•Diversify a relatively focused customer base. Small companies often have a large percentage of their revenue base coming from a single or a relatively small number of customers. Customer concentration significantly increases enterprise risk because the business can go bankrupt if it loses one or more of its key customers. A diversified customer base – presumably with a diversified revenue stream – lowers the volatility of its cash inflow, increasing the company’s value.
•Diversify product and service offerings. The addition of complementary product and service offerings into the target business allow it to capture more customers and increase revenue.
•Secure leadership succession. A business owner may not have invested time and effort into identifying and grooming a successor, necessitating the sale of the business in order to ensure that it continues to operate effectively. (For more, see How To Create A Business Succession Plan.)

Other Factors
The macroeconomic environment can also be an impetus to sell. The vast pool of capital available in the U.S. economy has pushed up acquisition prices. As such, owners often look to take advantage of a “seller’s market” and hire advisors to market their businesses for higher multiples. With vast amounts of cash competing for acquisitions, acquirers (particularly private equity) have become flexible in structuring deals in order to accommodate existing shareholders’ preferences and objectives. However, while a seller’s market provides such perks and benefits, if owners get too carried away from reasonable and fair prices for their companies, they risk blowing up the deal and losing millions of dollars.

The ONLY place I’ve seen this years Halloween Smackers is at Kmart. That is thee only place I’ve seen them. I think they were very limited.

Also, was told since the Oatmeal Cookie trio was *so popular* and “sold out fast” that they are going to make more and should be online by January 2016. Meaning it was never made and sent to stores. Meaning we’ll be getting them 4 MONTHS after they told us it’d be in stores. So they are listening BUT are pretending not to. Make sure to speak up about all these issues we’re seeing.

Also Stef, they did not go that far into details but I could tell there was a lot of drama. The bottom line and they admitted theirselves is Buddy and the younger Bells lost a lot of interest in keeping up with the company. The 80+ years of hard worked flushed down the drain because of greed.

I was also thinking of greed too. Markwins probably made such a great offer that Buddy couldn’t refuse. The one thing I find fishy was there was no mention of how much money Markwins gave Buddy, which I found strange and all the articles said something like it wasn’t to be made public . When Markwins bought Physicians Forumula it was an all-cash sale of $75 million dollars. I bet it was probably around fifty or so million, maybe even more for BB and LS’s buy.

Pissed at Markwins mentioning that the oatmeal cookie trio was quote “so popular” and “sold out fast” from your post A. Like why would you let your customers on a wild goose chase when there is no goose to chase? How sickening is that?

So, wait a minute. How did Oatmeal Cookie sell out when it wasn’t even sold anywhere? And I’m not waiting until January 2016, they said September and it’s nearly November. They’re already late, and I want it NOW. Whether they sold out or not, it shows that they aren’t prepared for a sell-out anyway. Not only are they incompetent, but they’re unprepared as well? They might as well freakin’ give up, then, if they can’t be conscientious of their own damn inventory. This is a 40-year-old product, and an 88-year-old company. Someone needs to take charge somewhere, and fix things. Markwins isn’t doing their job, PERIOD!

I found the Disney Halloween Lip Smacker trios! I got the one with caramel apple fun, strawberry jelly macaroon, and brewing up holiday punch. The punch and caramel apple and punch seem like repeats to me, but I’m not sure about strawberry jelly macaroon. Does anyone have a flavor similar to that?

Strawberry Jelly Macaroon has a newish flavor with a little hint of what reminds of Strawberry Fanta!

OMG!!! Check out the hashtag #lipsmacker on Instagram!!! Rockgirlmaxim83 posted a pic of holiday Smackers!!! They’re selling them as singles this year!!! There’s a White Choco Cranberry, Peppermint Macaroon and quite a few repromotes but still good ones! I see Snowflake Cocoa, Caramel Cider, Gingerbread Girl, and Whipped Eggnog. Cute packaging! I can’t wait to get Butterscotch and HOPE it’s not just their caramel flavor! Fingers crossed!

I was thinking about how surprised I wouldn’t be if they did a Star Wars collection. I thought about that months ago when the Trolls collection randomly appeared. It’s makes sense and correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t Star Wars under one of Disneys powerhouses?! Also, both were HUGE in the 1970s. Makes so much sense. Great flavor transitional names AJ!!! You know what Lip Sparkler I miss and long for besides Cinnamon Stick? Starry Sugar!!! Loved that one! I wonder if Markwins truly understands Lip Smackers history meaning do they know all of the previous flavors and collections, down to the logos and packaging design. Were old products sent over to Markwins during the transition or would they just Google it to see what it use to look like?

Thanks, A! I really had fun with this whole thing. And as for Lip Sparklers, I kind of had a huge reaction when I read STARRY SUGAR!!!!! I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO REMEMBERED THAT ONE. Wasn’t it a sparkly purple gloss? I remember seeing it once in a 99 cent store about 10 years ago now, and I wanted it but I was told “no”. I never saw it again, on eBay or anywhere else, leading me to believe that it was a rare flavor anyway. Really great memory.

Markwins can’t possibly understand Smackers’ history. If they did, they’d know what they were doing with the rest of the company. I feel that the best example of this is what they did with the Decades collections, which really didn’t go as far as they could’ve went. It was supposed to be commemorative of Smackers’ history, but really seemed like a poorly-organized move. Releasing **only** three flavors, and then a really “hard to find” fourth flavor later on? Finding out that some flavors aren’t their original formulas (PEPPERMINT, Moon Rock Candy)? It’s a great idea, but very badly executed. Also, they only did the 1970s, the 1980s and the 1990s, without any mention of the 2000s, when some of the best flavors and styles came out of the 2000s (Pet Pals, Jewel Lips, Ice Creamies, etc.)!

I don’t know much about every decade, but 70s and 80s could’ve had an entire Party Pack of “Original and Bests” from that era, along with *three* extra well-loved flavors. 90s could have had a full Cosmic party pack AND a special re-release of Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly, along with the true Cinnamon Sugar. 2000s could have had a full Jewel Lips party pack, along with three Ice Creamies, or Pet Pals or whatever. I sound like a broken record about this, but I know how much better it all could be. They give licensed characters more focus than their original works. That’s why, if they can’t bring back Cosmic LipSmackers on their own, I suggested that they do a Star Wars set–that seems to be all they’re about. Other characters.

Combine the badly-done “thanks to our fans” with the way everything else is going lately, it’s really clear that Smackers and Markwins have given up. A lot of things are happening now that the company in previous decades just would not do. I’m getting really sick and tired of talking about what they need to do, because they know. They just won’t do what needs to be done.

Also, don’t ever look at archived editions of the old Bonne Bell or Lip Smackers websites. You will get sad. I’m looking at an old page from 1997, when Cosmic Lip Smackers were new. All the designs were different, the bubble font was in full swing, and the brand was uniquely original, and gave off the notion that they knew how cool their products were. The site was even written well. Look at how they described those Lip Sparklers: “Sponge-On Sparklers makes lips as shimmery as stars and as soft and creamy as the milky way. Cosmically clumsy? Don’t space out! They come with an easy to apply sponge on tip!” It got my attention, and it made me want one. If that’s the kind of feeling they want to evoke in people, then they also need to look at the way they even **SPOKE** about their own products as well.

Your idea reminds me of a more farfetched idea I have for a revamp of the Jewel Lips Collection. I think it would be awesome if the Jewel Lips Collection had flavor names and labels that are Steven Universe themed. (Spoiler alert) They could even make trios based on two gems and what their fusion is. (MAJOR SPOILER ALERT) For example, Garnet is a fusion of Ruby and Sapphire, so they could make a trio with the flavors of Sapphire, Ruby, and Garnet. Some of the flavors for this collection could be the same as with the Jewel Lips collection, but perhaps a few new flavors added in too.

OMG. I don’t know much about Steven Universe, but that is an AMAAAAAZING idea. I thought about that trio, and I thought about how great it would be just to see Boysenberry Ruby, Sapphire Berry, and Strawberry Garnet Glaze all together again. Really, really awesome.

I’ve noticed that the packaging of the Mickey Mouse trio I got didn’t have tape to keep the cardboard back to the plastic. Mine wasn’t used, which is good, but I recommend being careful if future Lip Smacker trios are in this type of packaging.

For any of you who don’t understand the way the packaging is, it’s plastic in the front and folded back and the cardboard is behind the plastic but in front of the folded part. It’s kind of like the Wet n Wild eye makeup primer. It was packaged in a similar way but it was taped unlike the trio I got.

There’s even more they didn’t mention that are repeats but still. Whipped Eggnog, Snowflake Cocoa, Candy Cane, Gumdrop and Holiday Punch they didn’t mention. Maybe Creamy Peppermint will be what the 70s Peppermint should of been, considering that one was a creamy sweet light peppermint.

I have amazing news you guys! I found two holiday trio canes at Target! They weren’t in the Christmas section like they usually are, but in one of the back aisles not too far from the other Lip Smackers. One is called the Candy Collection with candy cane, gumdrop, and ribbon candy with a candy topper (just like the ones from the past couple years), and the other is called the Popcorn & Treats Collection with marshmallow crisp, creamy peppermint, and pralines & cream with a popcorn topper (I don’t understand how popcorn relates to these flavors). I haven’t opened them yet (A, my ribbon candy is in a purple tube, not pink or orange) but I will sooner or later.

Also, there’s Disney holiday sets too. There’s some in bags and others in those little story book things. Not only are there Frozen ones, but also Mickey Mouse and Disney Princesses. They all appear to be repeat flavors but in new packaging. I didn’t buy them because they seemed too kiddy.

Please give us your thoughts on the popcorn trio, Renee!!! Is Pralines & Cream everything it sounds to be? Does Marshmallow Crisp smell like a Rice Krispie Treat? Is Creamy Peppermint just like the 70s revival Peppermint or it is actually minty?!?

I’m sorry, but you’re going to be disappointed….. Pralines & cream smells sort of like caramel and cream, creamy peppermint smells like butter mints, and marshmallow crisp also smells like butter mints. I don’t know of mine was made wrong or what, but the only good one was pralines & cream.

Was your candy cane one faint? Mine smells faintly of mint and heavily like.plastic. i wonder if it’s because it was packaged closest to the topper, which smells heavily of plastic. The popcorn topper didn’t really stink though. I’m sorry that these weren’t so great. Overall, I like gumdrop, ribbon candy, and pralines & cream the most. The other three smell vaguely of mint or butter mints.

So caramel & cream, basically like Creamy Caramel/ Dulce de Leche or better? No nutty undertone? I love caramel flavors but please tell me this one is a little different. I guess I can see the relation to a Creamy Peppermint and a butter mint being similar but I’m REAL confused about Marshmallow Crisp! I wonder if it’s a light Marshmallow and the butter mint is stronger and absorbing some of that making it smell a little off. That happens sometimes when lighter flavors are packaged with heavier ones.

Yes my Candy Cane is terrible. Smells like sweetened plastic. I don’t know why they are so incredibly terrible at a flavor they use to set such a high expectations for. Their 90s/early 00’s mints were the sh*#! Does the ACTUAL Ribbon Candy smell just like the 2013 one?

Yes, the ribbon candy one smells just like the 2013 one, which is AWESOME. Pralines & cream is a little different than the caramel flavors, but I’m having a hard time pinpointing the difference. It seems a little lighter and creamier, but I don’t really notice a nutty note. Marshmallow crisp actually smells like butter mints. It’s not from the other Lip Smackers in the tube, it’s how it smells. It even tastes like a butter mint-type Lip Smacker! I don’t smell any sign of marshmallows in this Lip Smacker, but I wish it did. 🙁 If this were a Lip Smacker set in the 00’s, these would actually smell like their name!

On another note, these still feel moisturizing even if the flavors are off. By the way, what are your opinions on the new tubes? I feel as if they’re cheap, but I somehow still like them. I think the labels aren’t as adhesive as they should be, but they don’t seem to have that extra clear wrap around it that has bubbled up on some of my older Lip Smackers.

You know what? I’m annoyed and tired of all these butter mint/vanilla mint flavored Lip Smackers. I feel as if this flavor is used when there aren’t any more ideas. Ever since about Christmas of 2013, there have been MANY Lip Smackers with this flavor in many different collections. The 2013 Mickey Mouse holiday collection, Easter 2014 AND 2015 collections, the Frozen collection, the Trolls collection, and TWO (yes two) different ones from this year’s holiday collection! I don’t mind the occasional repeats, but one flavor shouldn’t be repeated this much!

Blame Pink ‘Nilla Mint from circa 2005. That’s the reason why we’ve got the confusion between actual Peppermint and Pink Nilla Mint. I remember Smackers went **ape** over that flavor, and made a LipSmacker, a Liquid LipSmacker, AND a Lip Frosting with it.

It was a trendy flavor…Crest introduced vanilla mint toothpaste, there was vanilla mint gum, etc. They typically always include trending flavors in with favorites. It started with Nilla Mint Frost from holiday 1999. They were way ahead of their time. This was long before Burts Bees and CO Bigelow were on the map. I loved the old vanilla mint version (Cupcake’s Nilla Mint) that’s when their mints were actually minty. This new buttercream mint one is cool but is overdone. Just wish it was actually a strong mint.

Now, as I’m sure you see everywhere salted caramel and red velvet are on everyone’s dessert menu these last couple of years? Their very current with flavor launches, but they don’t seem as innovative as before when it’d be a Lip Smacker before you saw the flavor trend in consumer goods. I don’t know if Markwins is that in-the-know with this sort of thing. I love anything salted caramel so it was such a relief to get different caramel Lip Smackers. I’d like to see them start to pair it in different ways.

I would like to see a chocolate caramel, caramel pie, and a caramel coffe flavor. That would be pretty cool. Speaking of coffee, they should make a mocha flavor again. I miss the mocha jolt Lip Sparkler. Oh, and the Lip Frostings. The milk chocolate one they had was amazing and their tubes were pretty big.

Just checked Target today and no sign of any holiday LS. I’m happy Renee you found the holiday Lip Smackers, but I’m HIGHLY disappointed in the flavors. It had the potential to be something amazing and they screwed it up. It puzzles me Pralines & Cream doesn’t have any nutty tones to it. Like for crying out loud, it’s pralines, you know a nut, Markwins?

Creamy Peppermint coming = butter mint! Like I don’t see the connection between the two. They are different from each other, hence they shouldn’t be related or named the same thing. I just bought myself a peppermint crème candle from Pier 1 and it sure doesn’t smell like butter mints.

Marshmallow Crisp is another butter mint in the same package! I’ve tasted and smelled marshmallows and I’ve had rice crispy treats, neither of them ever tasted or smelled like mint.

My excitement is going down, which it shouldn’t. LS thrives during holiday season, but with the lack of new Halloween, the fake “oh-oatmeal cookie-is-available-when-it-really-isn’t” and “it-got-sold-out-but-was-never-made” kind of making your customers run around on a wild goose chase is entirely uncalled for. I really don’t have high expectations for holiday because I don’t want to be disappointed,